Car-coupling link



(No Model.)

F. SWEETLAND. GAR COUPLING LINK.

Patentd May 29,1883.

WITNESSES: INVENTOE:

w BY MW ATTORNEYS.

N: PETERS. Pmwm n nnnnnnnnnnnnnnn c4 UNITED STATES PATENT OEFICE.

FRANK SWEETLAND, or EDWARDYSBURG, MICHIGAN.

CAR-COUPLING LINK.

To all whomtt may concern Be it known that I, FRANK SWEETLAND, of Edwardsburg, in the county of Case and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Link-Guides for Car- Gouplings, of which the following is a full,

. clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to link-guides for carcouplings in which a handle-plate is combined to with the coupling-link, said plate freely holding the link at or about its center within it, but not permitting of the link and plate detaching themselves one from the other, substantially as described in LettersPatent No. 262,854, granted to me August 15, 18 82. The object of my said patented invention was to provide a new and improved device by which car-coupling links could be held and guided into draw-heads while coupling carswithout 2o endangering the hands of the operator, the handle-plate which was combined with the link providing for the link being carried and raised and lowered and guided into the draw-heads by holding and manipulating the plate from 2 5 above the draw-heads, sothat when the drawdimensions or width relatively to its ends for he purpose. To thus provide for entering and ielding the link within the'plate, I showed nd described in my patent hereinbefore rekerred to a removable key for closing part of the slot through which the link was passed in the plate to retain the link in place at its contracted middle portion, which key it was proposed to construct of two blocks meeting face to face and fitted to the plate, so that when bolted together they formed a lock for the inserted link. l

The object of the present invention is to provide in a special or novel and simple manner for the insertion and retention of the link within the handle-plate, and whereby any key or separate and independent device operating to heads come together all danger of crushing:

at or about its middle where it was of reduced SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 278,626, dated May 29, 1 883,

- Application filed March 13, 1883. (No models) partly close the link-hole through the plate,

and which not onlyinvolves labor, trouble, and expense, but is liable to work or get loose, is dispensed with; and the invention consists in a novel method of fitting the link to the handle-plate, and novel construction of said plate by cutting or bending it at one or both ends of the aperture in it through which the link passes, substantially as hereinafter described.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similarletters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figural represents a perspective view of a handle-plate for acar-couplin g link embodying myinvention, and before the cut portion or portions of said plates are bent to provide for increasing the size of the opening therethrough for the entrance of the link within'it. Fig. 2 is a similar view of said plate after the cntportions of the plate have been bent for insertion of the link, and Fig. 3 a like view of the plate with the link inserted and the cutportions of 7 5 the plate bent back to their normal position to retain the link to its place in the plate.

A in the drawings indicates the metal handle-plate, provided with an upper hand-hole, b, and with a lowerlink aperture or slot, 0. At either or both ends of this slit 0 incisions d d are made in the plate, commencing at the corners or angular terminations of the slot and extending outward, preferably in a diverging manner, towardthe outer margins of the plate, thereby forming a lip 'or lips, e, at the end or ends of'the slot of suificient size that when bent back or out of the way, as shown in Fig. 2, the slot c will have its length increased to an extent that will admit of the passage of the coupling-link B through it. Said link, which hasits sides pressed together at its middle, so as to give it decreased width at such portion, is then introduced for half its length, or there about, within the slot 0, specially lengthened for the passage of either end or widerportion of the link through it, as described,after which the lip or lips e is or are bent back to their normal ppsition to lock or hold the link to its place in the plate without restricting its nec-' ico essary freedom of play vertically or horizontally. In this way the handle-plate makesits own lock with the link. A single lip or flap,

e, at one end of the slot 0 might suffice; but

it is preferable to have one at each end of the slot, as the incisions d in the plate need not then extend to the same extent to weaken the plate, as when only a single flap is used, and the two flaps, being smaller, will be stronger than a single one, and maybe bent outward in reverse directions for insertion of the link, whereby not only the entry of the link is facilitated, but when. the flaps arereturned to their normal position they better retain the same. The divergency of the incisions d d avoids too great a weakening of the plate, and gives stronger flaps or lips. locking-flaps 0, after being closed upon the link B, as described, may be welded to the rest of the plate A to hold them in position.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. The methodof inserting a car-coupling link within a handle-plate which carries it, consisting in making incisions in the plate at the end or ends of the link-hole in the plate,

If desired, the

bending said out portion or portions outward to permit of the passage of a link narrowed at its center partially through the'plate, and subsequently turning down or back to its or their normal position the cut portion or portions of the plate to retain the link in place, substantially as specified.

2. In a link-guide for coupling cars, the hand-plate A, provided with the link-aperture 0, having lip or lips e at the end or ends of the same, substantially as herein shown and described.

3. In a link-guide for coupling cars, the combination, with the coupling-link B, of reduced width at or about its center, of the bandie-plate A, having a link-hole, c, and one or more locking-flaps, informing integral por- 4o tions ofsaid plate, essentially as specified.

FRANK SWEETLAND.

Witnesses:

WM. W SWEETLAND, MosEs H. LEE.- 

